A New Life

Jesus' words to a great religious man of His time were clear and absolute, and they concerned what matters most for every human being: eternal life.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"(John 3:3)

This is not a dramatic statement spoken by just any man. It comes from the very lips of Christ. The apostle John records this declaration of the Lord addressed to Nicodemus, a wealthy Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin:

"Do not marvel that I said to you: You must be born again"(v.7)

This is the first step to experiencing the new life that only God, in Christ, can offer to man. In fact, the Bible declares:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"(2 Corinthians 5:17)

But why, we may ask, do we need to live a new life, to be "born again"? The Word of God clearly describes the state of deep need in which humanity lives:

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - the wages of sin is death..."(Romans 3:23; 6:23)

Yet the Lord has provided a perfect solution for all humanity, marked by evil and sin:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:16)

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"(Romans 5:8)

Even before creation, God had conceived a glorious plan of redemption for all humanity... let us walk through it together.

In the beginning

When God created man and woman, they enjoyed a special fellowship with their Creator. But one day a great tragedy took place: Adam and Eve rebelled against God, and as a consequence their precious fellowship was broken because of sin.

This was the sad result of human pride and arrogance, which drove our first parents to sin against the Lord by disobeying His Word:

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned..."(Romans 5:12)

All in the same boat!

Even though the verse we just read speaks of Adam's sin, none of us can avoid recognizing ourselves as sinners too: "because all have sinned," our text says. We are not guilty merely because, as some claim, we inherited sin, but because all have sinned, with no exception; apart from the perfect Son of God.

In fact, like Adam and Eve, we too chose one day to sin, to rebel against God, and to disobey His Word:

"For there is no man who does not sin"(1 Kings 8:46)

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"(1 John 1:8)

"There is none righteous, no, not one"(Romans 3:10)

A serious fracture!

It is precisely the sin committed by man that produced a rupture, a clear separation between the creature and the Creator, between human beings and God.

"Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you..."(Isaiah 59:2)

The consequences of sin are painted in dark colors all around us: misery and despair, wars and hunger, the collapse of moral principles, broken families, widespread crime, drugs, juvenile delinquency... This is the terrible result of separation from God!

But there are even worse consequences for unbelievers, for those who refuse the justification provided by God in Christ: they will be separated forever from the presence of the Lord:

"These shall go away into everlasting punishment"(Matthew 25:46)

"...he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him"(John 3:36)

But this is not the end of the story. In spite of our sin, in spite of our separation from God, in spite of all that we have done wrong, God loves us. He loves us so much that He has provided a glorious solution to our greatest problem: sin. The Lord has done for us what we could never do to be reconciled with Him.

A precious sacrifice

In the Old Testament, sinful people received forgiveness through the sacrificial offering of an animal; for example, the Hebrews offered a lamb without blemish:

"He shall bring a lamb as his sin offering... so the priest shall make atonement for that person for the sin he has committed, and he shall be forgiven"(Leviticus 4:32-35)

This truth is taken up in the New Testament and fulfilled in Christ:

"The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"(John 1:29)

He who was:

"offered once to bear the sins of many..."(Hebrews 9:28)

"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... Like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, He did not open His mouth"(Isaiah 53:5,7)

The divine invitation

Because of the immense love God shows toward every person, He desires to reconcile us to Himself and restore the fellowship broken by sin; this is why His precious invitation reaches us:

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool"(Isaiah 1:18)

"Come... seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near"(Isaiah 55:1,6)

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"(Matthew 11:28)

said Jesus.

It is a passionate invitation that comes from the heart of God!

The good news

After God's precious invitation comes the glorious message of the Gospel, the Good News of salvation in Christ:

"For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes"(Romans 1:16)

The Lord does not want to leave us in our problems, difficulties, and anguish of a life lived without Him. On the contrary, He wants to intervene powerfully in our lives and show us His mercy, for:

"...is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance"(2 Peter 3:9)

It is God who has always reached out toward needy humanity; it is He who has done all He could to redeem us from our miserable condition as sinners. Jesus said:

"...I did not come to judge the world but to save the world"(John 12:47)

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost"(Luke 19:10)

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"(1 Timothy 1:15)

"The Son of Man came... to give His life a ransom for many"(Matthew 20:28)

JESUS: The solution

Jesus lived a perfect life: His humility, His compassion, and His complete self-giving to others are truly exemplary. Yet He did not come only to be an example of pure living, but to give us new life:

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly"(John 10:10)

"I am the way, the truth, and the life"(John 14:6)

The message of the Good News, the Gospel, is proclaimed:

"That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name"(John 20:31)

What must we do?

This is a legitimate question, the same asked by the first people who heard the message of salvation in Christ preached by the apostles on the day of Pentecost. Those who heard the Gospel were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles:

"Brothers, what shall we do?"(Acts 2:37)

Peter's answer was immediate, clear, and precise. Thousands listened that day to a wonderful inspired message, powerful and pressing, an urgent appeal to the human heart:

"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"

"Be saved from this perverse generation. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out"(Acts 2:38,40; 3:19)

Likewise, after the desperate cry of a troubled man, the apostle Paul promptly answered:

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household"(Acts 16:31)

Even today the message is the same. It means admitting you are a sinner, believing that Jesus died on the cross for you, accepting His sacrifice, trusting His saving work, and calling on His forgiveness.

The gift of God

Someone might say this is too easy, but easy for whom? Certainly not for the Lord Jesus, who bore our sins all the way to Calvary's cross, dying in our place.

By His death we have life, by His pain we have joy, by His sufferings we are healed; it was not easy for Him at all!

But for us, yes! The way of salvation is not complicated, narrow, and reserved for a few. It is open to all, because:

"...whoever believes in Him - Jesus - should have eternal life"(John 3:15)

"He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life"(John 5:24)

The gift of God is not obtained through good works, nor is salvation received through personal merit.

Just as ancient Jews thought they could obtain salvation by works, Scripture reminds us too:

"...by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified"

"a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law"(Romans 3:20,28)

"...by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"(Ephesians 2:8,9)

A new dawn

When you sincerely turn to God and ask, by faith, for His forgiveness, you will experience His presence in your heart and the peace of God within you. You will personally enjoy His precious forgiveness because:

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us"(Psalm 103:12)

"...their sins I will remember no more"(Hebrews 8:12)

Once sin is removed, God comes to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit whom He has given:

"By whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God"(Romans 8:16)

"By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit"(1 John 4:13-15)

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"(Romans 5:1)

Together with these deep and real spiritual blessings, the Lord grants us every good thing. Our life is gloriously transformed by divine intervention. The Holy Spirit regenerates our being and we receive from God:

- Joy

"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy"(Psalm 16:11)

- Satisfaction

"For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness"(Psalm 107:9)

- True peace

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you"(John 14:27)

And then?

First of all, know that Scripture reminds you that God's time is today:

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation!"(2 Corinthians 6:2)

So do not wait for tomorrow. Do not think that accepting Jesus in your heart should be postponed to another day, when you are old, or sick, or when your life is already in pieces. Today the most extraordinary event of your life can happen! Today you can receive Christ Himself by turning to Him right now, accepting God's forgiveness and love, and deciding - with His help - to leave your old life and joyfully receive the new life Christ gives you.

Let us explain this process in four phases:

• Repent
• Recognize
• Reflect
• Receive

Repent: In prayer, I admit that I have rebelled against God. I may be a respectable member of society, but I have kept Jesus at a distance from my life. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I now make a 180-degree turn. I acknowledge I was wrong; I am sorry and repentant; now I am ready to reject the selfish habits of my former life.

Recognize: Who am I about to welcome into my life? Only Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the one true Savior of the world, and no one else. I thank Him because He died for the sins of the world, and therefore also for mine. I recognize that Christ has done for me what I could never have done by my own strength. Through His death on the cross He secured forgiveness and eternal life for me; and now He offers them freely as His gift. Christ Jesus did all this for me.

Reflect: Becoming a Christian costs nothing; but what does it mean to be a Christian? For example, am I willing to declare war on everything I recognize as wrong in my life? Even knowing I do not have the strength by myself, am I truly willing to let God's Spirit work in me to redefine my priorities and my way of life? Am I ready to entrust myself completely to Jesus Christ so He may teach and guide me in life? Am I willing to be known by others as a member of Christ's people? (A good way to begin is to tell some of your friends about the important decision you have made and then share it publicly in your church community). True Christianity is not based on empty formal religious statements, but on a genuine transforming experience in the one who believes in the risen, living, active Christ.

Receive: Listen now to this promise of the Bible:

"...as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name"(John 1:12)

But someone may object:

"How can I know that Christ Jesus has come to me?"

Here are some signs, real bright indicators. You will begin seeking the company of other believers. You will begin to realize that temptation is becoming a real issue for you. The message of the Bible will take on a much fuller meaning than before. You will discover the joy of prayer, fellowship with God, and the dialogue you can have with Him.

Feelings vary greatly from person to person. Some may experience deep relief and great joy; others may show little outward emotion. But that is not the point. The important thing is to take Jesus Christ at His word and believe that He will keep His promises.

The promise that helped me receive Christ years ago is found in words addressed to a lukewarm church, made up of believers in name only. Since I too belonged to that category, it felt addressed to me personally.

These are the words:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me"(Revelation 3:20)

How can I open this door? Through prayer addressed to Jesus Christ. There is no fixed formula; but in your own words, you can ask the Lord with trust, right now, to forgive your sins and give you eternal life, because:

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved"(Acts 4:12)

by C.B.C. Transcribed by eVangelo